Things I'll Never Say
by LindaMadsen
Summary: Just R&R! Hermione, New Powers, No Ron.


Title: Things I'll never say. Author: Linda-and-Sara Rated: Pg-13 Pairing: Hermione/Draco Genre: Harry Potter Disclaimer: I own nothing. Distribution: Who ever wants it, but tell me first. Summary: New year, Hermione, new power, reluctant friendship turns into luv.  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Hermione sat alone in the trio's usual compartment. She had tried to find the boys on the platform, but hadn't seen them anywhere. What worried her more was that she seemed to be the victim of an all-mail stop from the Weasleys since the end of last term. It eased her mind that she had heard from Harry, though it was not all good news, at least it was something. Vernon and Dudley Dursley had been killed in a car accident, leaving Petunia Dursley a widow, with only her nephew to take care of. Vernon's life-insurance had left her rather well off and she would never have to work another day in her life. On a happier note, Harry had now been granted free reign of the Dursley residence and now lived under fairly good conditions. Just as she had decided to go look for them, the door to her compartment opened and Ginny Weasley peeked in. "Hello Hermione. Where's Harry?" The redhead asked shyly, as she had never felt completely at ease with her brothers crush, envying her close friendship with Harry, not to mention her wit and talent. "Hello Ginny. I think that the boys I usually call my friends are avoiding me." Hermione said with a wry smile. Ginny returned the smile. "well maybe he didn't recognise you, with your new look and all." Hermione's confusion showed clearly in her expression. "I look just as I always have, so what if my hairs a bit darker, a bit straighter?" Hermione had changed rather drastically over the summer, her hair finally calming down and turning a startling, almost black, brown. Her self-esteem had also improved dramatically in light of having won recognition for her playing of her Violin, giving her a confident air, the darkness of her appearance, making it look almost sinister. Ginny hesitated, looking unsure of herself. "Hermione, you've changed more than you think. You look dark.and dangerous." The young witch left, hesitating at the door. "I'll just go back to my compartment."  
  
The rest of the train ride passes in a blur for Hermione, and soon she was heading for the Gryffindor Table in the great hall. She had yet to see Harry or Ron, so she decided to sit in least popular end of the table where she had a clear view of the hall, though once she sat, her mind when adrift.  
  
A small while later a warm hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts. She turned towards the intruder and gasped in shock. There stood Harry, surely rivalling Ron in height, his hair falling in red/black waves down to his shoulders, His greener-than-emerald eyes locked onto her dark brown ones. "Harry, Is that you?!" She exclaimed before she could stop herself. "Yes, Miss. May I sit here please?" he asked in his rich melodious voice. "Harry, you know it's just me." Harry pretended to be surprised. "Hermione, Is that you? You look absolutely stunning!" Hermione blushed bright red. "Well you don't look so bad your self, little brother." Over the summer Hermione had started calling the slightly younger Harry, Little Brother. He had, in turn, started calling her Sister. "Where's Ron?" she asked, looking around while trying to spot the familiar redhead. "I dunno. haven't seen him anywhere." He responded, also looking around. Hermione turned to look up the table, finding not only Ron missing but also the Twins and Seamus. Spotting Ginny, Hermione called out, "Hey Ginny. Where are your brothers?" Ginny looked surprised and mortified. "He didn't tell you? Oh bloody hell!" she exclaimed while hiding her face in her hands. Hermione got up and walked over to her. "What's wrong, Ginny? What didn't Ron tell us?" she asked, just as the first-years were being lead in. Ginny looked up with an almost panicked expression in her blue eyes. "Not now, I'll tell you later!" Hermione frowned but got back in her seat, just in time for the sorting.  
  
At the end of the feast, Professor Dumbledore rose to make the usual announcements. After the usual warnings and a welcome to the new Defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Gimili Gloin, ("Hey, He looks like a dwarf!"), he had something much more interesting to say.  
  
"And now for a special announcement. This year, and all following years, we will have a special advanced class for those of you whom have the potential to be greatly powerful. Despite house and year."  
  
At this statement the hall came alive; everyone wanted to know this or that.  
  
"Now, now Students. Calm down! Tomorrow there will be a practical, and written, test, spanning over the whole day. The test will measure your Potential powers, stamina, wit and mindfulness. Now don't despair if you don't get in, there is no shame in being, power-wise, the same as 90% of the worlds magical population."  
  
The tumult quieted down to an excited murmur, as the students talked about the upcoming tests.  
  
The evening passed in a lively chatter. Hermione and Harry sat in a corner of the common-room discussing the possibilities if they got in.  
  
"We could learn some pretty powerful spells, don't you think?" Hermione asked thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah, probably training us to defeat Voldemort. So well probably learn some dark arts too."  
  
"Harry, don't you think it's a little premature to talk like we've already been accepted?"  
  
"I have to be accepted, Hermione. If I'm not, I don't know what I'd do, I'd have let everybody down!"  
  
"Harry, it doesn't matter if you get accepted or not, you'll still be a great wizard with a giant heart, and we'll still be your friends. You'll never let us down!"  
  
"This is going to one long year, Hermione."  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The next day, the whole student population gathered on the lawns behind Hogwarts, the divided into groups regarding age, gender, and eye-colour, though no one could see where eye-colour fit in. Hermione ended in a group of five, Lavender, and herself were the only Gryffindors, two were from Ravenclaw, and the last one was from Hufflepuff. The groups were sent into different parts of the forbidden forest with a mission to find a rare magical item, or potions ingredient, well knowing that they were being magically recorded for the judges.  
  
Hermione's group was sent to the farthest eastern part of the forest with instructions to not return until they had collected their item, or the sun set.  
  
Hermione did what came naturally, and took charge. "Okay, our is a feather, and a tuft of hair, from a Griffin. Right, do any of you know where we can find a Griffin?" She asked in her best teacher voice. she sighed when nobody was forthcoming. "There are three types of Griffin; The Gold, The Black, and The Giant. The Giant Griffin is only found in the mountaintop of France, The Golden Griffin lives all over the world and usually sleeps in trees, so I think we should expect to find that one, and The Black Griffin is found only in Great Britain, but because it has a rather nasty temper, I would rather we try to find a Golden." She explained. "So any Ideas on how we can lure the Griffin to us?"  
  
One of the Ravenclaws looked thoughtful. "Griffins like Silverblossoms, Right? So we gather as many Silverblossoms in a clearing and when the Griffin comes to eat, we stun it." She suggested happily. "Right then, lets start collecting."  
  
Hermione wandered about picking the delicate blossoms from the mossy forest floor, letting her mind wander. She had just picked a particularly pretty flower when she noticed something snakelike by one of the flowers. Following the line of the snakelike thing with her eyes, she discovered that it was indeed a tail. A tail attached to a black Griffin. She blinked. Why wasn't she being attacked? Why was the griffin laying still? She walked closer to the Griffin, quite aware that if it was faking the injury, she would be dead. When she reached the head and it still hadn't moved, she signalled for the rest of her group to come to her.  
  
After examining the Griffin, the group found several deep gashes beneath the Griffins feather coat. Working together, the group decided to heal the Griffin and *then* take their trophy. Barely had they healed the last wound when the creature woke up. Lavender and the Hufflepuff screamed, while the Ravenclaws gasped. Hermione stood, transfixed by the beasts eyes. They glowed violet, filled with ancient knowledge.  
  
The Griffin blinked slowly and lay down to seem less threatening. Hermione reached over and gently plucked a small tuft of fur and a feather. "Thank you, Viola." She said, not knowing where she got the name, but knowing that that was the Griffins name. The Griffin, Viola, bowed her head and with a whoosh of her wings, the mighty beast was gone. The students blinked at each other, wondering if that had just been a fantasy, or if that had really happened.  
  
The next days were the weekend and everyone was bursting with excitement, and guessing who had got in. Hermione had yet to forget the look in the Griffins eyes, walked around in a haze. She had even forgotten to study some of the science books she had got for her birthday. When summer vacation started, Hermione usually went to summer school, so she wouldn't fall behind on her maths and such. Before she knew it, it was Monday and she was cursing her absentmindedness.  
  
As Hermione walked into the Entrance Hall, she was grabbed by an over excited Harry, who was jumping up and down shouting, "We got in! We got in!" It took her a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about. "Great, lets go tell." her smile disappeared. "We still haven't talked to Ginny about Ron." Harry stopped Jumping. "Lets go find her. Come on." And off they went to find the youngest Weasley at Hogwarts. 


End file.
